


Sleepy Beacon Hills.

by Thousandsmiles



Series: Alpha-In-Training [2]
Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: AU to series finale because I started this before it aired, Canon Typical Violence, Enforcer!Theo, Gen, I might try to get it to segue into it though., Irish Mythology - Freeform, Liam and Theo are roommates, Liam is a good alpha-in-training, Lowkey-anchor! Liam, Lowkey-anchor!Theo, Mason is a good bro, Post-Season/Series 06, Scott McCall is a Good Alpha, Somehow, Text Messages, Theo's truck, after Scott and the others leave, and Parrish, and Theo - Freeform, and the parents - Freeform, gold - Freeform, headless horsewoman, no thium just bro-otp, so it's just the babies, that's a lot more people than I realized, we'll see
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-20
Updated: 2017-09-28
Packaged: 2019-01-01 01:31:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 8
Words: 16,440
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12145716
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Thousandsmiles/pseuds/Thousandsmiles
Summary: No, really, Liam did not need to deal with the headless horsewoman in his final year, none of them did.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own Teen Wolf.
> 
> I hope you all enjoy Liam and the others trying to save Beacon Hills sans the more experienced pack members.

 

“So,” said Scott to Malia over on skype, “Liam is gonna make Theo a part of the pack.”

“What!” snapped Malia, “No! He’s a psychopathic , murdering, slimy….thing!”

“Malia,” said Scott, “You just came back from dinner with Peter.”

“That doesn’t have anything to do with this!” Malia declared. 

Scott gave her a look.

“It doesn’t, okay?”

“How was your day?” Scott asked.  Malia cursed at him.

* * *

  
  


Liam woke up by his alarm clock’s shrill ring. He groaned, clapped his hands over his ears and then reached to turn the thing off. 

The wolf lying on the ground next to his bed, growled and nipped lightly at Liam’s hand which hung off the bed.

“I have early practice this morning,” Liam said to the wolf who was glaring at him. The glare didn’t lessen but he could hear a hint of desperation in the growl that came next that basically said, ‘I had a Bad Nightmare Night, which is why I’m currently in wolf form and right next to your bed, and I don’t exactly want to be alone right now.’

Liam sighed. “You could come with. Mason is coming too.”

The wolf snorted but then got up, stretched and shifted. Theo stretched again, popping knots out of his spine and then said, “I’m driving.”

“No argument from me,” Liam said, shuffling his way off the bed and looking for clothes.

While Theo was changing, Liam took the time to shoot Mason a text.

 

Liam to Mason: Theo is coming with me this morning. He had a BNN. 

Mason to Liam: Alright, I’ll be gentle with the big bad enforcer.

Liam to Mason: I will totally buy you breakfast.

Mason to Liam: I knew there was a reason I was your friend.

Liam to Mason: Haha.

 

* * *

 

They arrived at the lacrosse field in time and Liam went to change while Theo made his way over to the bleachers and Mason. 

He waited until he saw Theo collapse next to Mason, close enough for their knees to be brushing and saw the two greet each other civilly before he ducked into the locker room. 

“He really is touch-starved huh?” said Corey appearing out of nowhere. 

Liam jumped and clapped a hand his heart. “Don’t do that!”

Corey grinned. “I've been practicing. There’s a chinese martial art practice that teaches you to lower your heart rate so that it’s almost silent.”

“No,” said Liam, “Do not learn that.”

Corey grinned toothily at him reminding Liam that he mightn't have been an apex predator but he still was a predator.

“It’ll keep you on your toes,” said Corey, “Scott said that’s good for you.”

“I’m going to kill Scott,” growled Liam.

“Only if you want to be the alpha!”

Liam growled at Corey again and stomped off to get his gear. 

* * *

  
  


Theo leaned back on the bleachers and promptly went back to sleep, the sweet sounds of players ramming into each other or being driven into exhaustion, easing his way there. 

Half an hour later though he was awakened by a loud crack, several yells and Mason leaning back on the bleachers next to him. 

He cracked open an eye and frowned at Mason. 

“I can’t look,” said Mason. 

Theo lifted his head and squinted at the mass of downed players on the field. 

“That...looks painful,” he agreed. 

“I’m pretty sure I heard bone break,” Mason said. 

“Seeing that coach isn’t going crazy,” Theo said, “I’m willing to bet it’s either Liam or Corey.”

“Liam,” said Mason, “Corey’s in goal.”

“He’ll be fine,” Theo dismissed. 

“I heard multiple breaks,” Mason said, “I feel sick.”

“Uhh...deep breaths?”

“You are no help.”

* * *

  
  


“I have never been so happy to be a werewolf,” Liam said dismally to his locker door.

“I have never been so happy that you’re a werewolf,” Corey said. “I almost threw up and I had multiple cords stuck in me for the WIld Hunt.”

“Don’t mention that,” said Liam, “Or I’ll throw up.” 

“Are you okay?” Mason hurried up to Liam.

“I’m fine,” said Liam, “I just never want that to happen again.”

“Me either,” said Mason, “By the way Theo took your car to work. He said he’ll pick you back up after school.”

“Okay,” said Liam, “Fine. I have a test this morning and I can’t even be mad about that because if I fail this test I have to take the class over and my dad will kill me.”

“Good,” said Mason, “I see progress in anger management!”

Liam gave him a look. “I’m going to kill him after the test.”

“That’s... not progress,” said Mason.

“Nope,” said Liam stalking out the locker room. 

* * *

  
  


Physics class wasn’t ever really fun because Corey never quite got anything in it in the first try. He really was trying and Theo had given him some basics about the topic so he wasn’t as lost as he usually would be but this class was also boring and he just wanted to go to sleep. He wasn’t the only one. The majority of students had zoned out or were secretly on their phones. 

He was just about to pull out his own phone when a flash of green light distracted him. He frowned and looked around but he didn’t see anything. He shrugged and pulled out his phone when another flash of green light out of the corner of his eyes made him look up. 

Okay...that was weird. 

Corey frowned and then made an executive decision. 

“Um, Can I go to the bathroom?”

Once free from class, he looked around in the corridor and after a moment the flash of light went of again, and the world around him blurred a little. Corey blinked, shook his head and then frowned. That light, that was how the world looked when he was invisible…

He put a hand on the wall and instantly became invisible and the world lit up in the ghostly green light. But now that he was invisible, he peered in the direction of the light and caught a glimpse of a person moving beyond the doors of the school. 

He ran after the person and then cautiously leaned out the doors, peering at the person. 

For a moment his breath caught and he almost thought it was the Wild Hunt come again. Only this rider was headless. 

“You’ve gotta be kidding me,” he whispered as he watched the rider, head tucked under it’s arm, slowly canter around the school, peering into the windows of classrooms. A wagon clattered after the horse, with candles atop skulls in them. 

He snuck after the headless rider wondering what on earth it was going to do when suddenly the rider came to an abrupt halt, it’s horse rearing up. 

“Lenny Gabes,” The rider’s dismembered head called. There was shimmer and then Lenny was standing in front of the horse. 

“Wha?” he said and then his eyes rolled up and he fell dead. 

Corey clamped a hand over his mouth to hold in his gasp and watched wide eyed as the rider dismounted and tossed Lenny’s body into the wagon. As the rider turned back to get on it’s horse, Corey caught a good look at the head. 

It had a wide grin, stretching from ear to ear, it’s eyes rolled from side to side in a pasty white face but even so, it’s lips were an exquisite red and it’s eyes were a lovely, exoctic shape with an odd brown shade. In another life, another world, she would have been beautiful. 

Corey was terrified. 

Then the rider swung up onto her horse and galloped away. One moment she was there and then she wasn’t. 

* * *

  
  


“Wait what!” hissed Mason, “You saw a headless horsewoman, kill Lenny Gabes during physics period?”

“A headless horse woman,” said Liam, trying to get this straight because really?

“That’s what I’m telling you!” said Corey.

“With a wagon,” said Mason.

“With skulls in it,” added Liam. “Are you sure you didn’t fall asleep? No offense, we’ve seen weirder things but this seems too hollywood even for me.”

“You’re a werewolf,” said Corey, deadpan.

“That aside,” said Mason, “Isn’t that Lenny right there?”

The three of them turned to look and sure enough, Liam saw Lenny Gabes walking outside class, probably heading to lunch, with his friends. 

“What!” Corey jumped up. “I,I, I saw it!”

“Maybe you did fall asleep,” said Mason. 

“I didn’t!” Corey protested.

“But he’s right there,” said Liam. They all turned to watch Lenny again. But as they watched, he crossed the exact same spot the rider had stopped in. 

Lenny stopped suddenly, and then pressed a hand to his heart. His friends stopped and frowned at him. 

“Are you okay man?” one of them watched. 

Lenny looked like he tried to answer but then he just collapsed. 

“Shit!” said Liam dashing off towards him. Fast as he was though, there was already a crowd gathered around Lenny’s prone form and even as he pushed through the crowd he knew that Lenny’s heart had stopped. 

“Call an ambulance,” he shouted, pushing back people as he dropped next to Lenny and settled his hands over his chest. 

“Well, you can tell by the way I use my walk,” he started as he began chest compressions. But five minutes later, Lenny's heart still hadn’t restarted and didn’t, even after the paramedics pushed Liam away and set to work. 

A few minutes later, the team sighed and stopped working. 

“Call it,” said one. 

“Time of death,” began the other. 

Liam put his hands behind his head and walked away trying not to cry, trying not to rip something apart. 

“She killed him,” Corey said in a hollow voice, “She killed him.”


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you all enjoy it!!

 

“Okay let’s not panic about this,” said Mason.

“Not panic?!’ said Corey, “A headless horsewoman killed Lenny!”

“Let’s not jump to conclusions,” said Mason, “We don’t know if they’re related. Corey you could be seeing a representation of death, not an actually headless horsewoman.”

“You think it’s not real?!” Corey shouted angrily.

“I think we should do research first,” Mason said. “See if there is anything like this, before we scare ourselves half to death.”

“I’m not a harbinger of death like Lydia and Parrish,” said Corey, “I shouldn’t be seeing anything like a representation.”

“Let’s just rule it out okay?!” snapped Liam. He clenched his fists again, nails digging hard into his palms and drawing blood. “Rule it out and find out what it really is!”

“I’ll get the bestiary,” said Mason. “We should find something there.”

“I’ll google,” said Corey looking wide eyed at Liam.

“I’ll get Deaton,” said Liam.

“Are we skipping class?” asked Mason. Liam glared at him.

“Right,” said Mason.

Liam made to get his car and then remembered that Theo had it. He growled and began the run to the animal clinic.

* * *

 

 

“Liam!” said Deaton, “Don’t you have class?”

“I skipped,” Liam said shortly, “A student died today, Corey thinks it might be something other.”

Deaton blinked and then nodded. “Why don’t you tell me about it?”

“That’s why I’m here,” snapped Liam and then took a deep breath, squeezed his eyes shut and whispered,, “The sun, the moon, the truth. The sun, the moon, the truth. The sun,...the moon….” his claws dug into his palms drawing blood again, “The truth!”

He fought with the guttural growl that wanted to tear itself up from his throat and finally managed to suppress it. But when he looked up at Deaton his eyes were molten gold.

“Sorry,” he said, “My temper’s short today.”

“Understandable,” said Deaton gently.

Liam shook his head. “I was trying to save him. Doing CPR. It didn’t work. Nothing worked. I heard his heart stop and it never started again.”

“I am sorry,” said Deaton, “But if you want to prevent this from happening again, we need to figure it out.”

“Right,” said Liam, blood seeped from between his fingers again but he squared his shoulders and walked into Deaton’s examination room.

* * *

 

Mason to Theo: Liam is at the animal clinic. A headless horsewoman may be involved.

Theo to Mason: What the hell? Does he need backup?

Mason to Theo: No. He went to find out info from Deaton.

Theo to Mason: I’ll meet him there.

Mason to Theo: Not a good idea. He’s already in IED mode.

Theo to Mason: I’ve become efficient at defusing those by force.

Mason to Theo: You’re also highly efficient at setting them off. Don’t trigger him or I’ll kill you. Not today.

Theo to Mason: Read you loud and clear.

* * *

 

“Corey saw her, you said,” said Deaton.

“Yeah,” said Liam. “He could only see her when he went invisible.”

“And she killed Lenny by calling his name?”

“Sort of. He only really died when he walked over to where Corey saw him die the first time.”

“A headless horsewoman is pretty rare,” mused Deaton, “Most myths are about horsemen.”

“She had a wagon,” Liam remembered, “With skulls and candles. Corey said she put the body there.”

Deaton frowned. “That seems familiar. I think it’s one of the fae folk but I’m not sure which one and from which mythology. Hold on.”

He went over and rummaged through his pile of books. While he was doing that Liam pulled out his phone.

 

Liam to EVERYONE in BH: We may have a situation. WIll update later when have more info. May be false alarm, so this is just a warning.

 

JP: Noted.

SS: A little more info would be nice, false alarm or not.

CA: Noted.

MM: Anything to do with the student whose body came into the morgue today?

SS: What?! Not again.

Liam: Yes. Still waiting to see if it’s anything for us to deal with.

MM: Are you in school young man?

Liam: No at the AC.

MM: Get back in school. NM will kill you.

Liam: Someone is dead. One missed class won’t kill me.

  


“I think the source is from the Irish myths,” said Deaton. “They’re the ones most likely to have women headless riders.”

“What do you know, the evil preternatural creatures got to gender equality before everyone else,” Theo drwaled.

Liam spun around to find Theo leaning on the doorway.

“What are you doing here?” he hissed.

“Hey easy there. Just came to see if I could help.”

“You’re supposed to be at community service!”

“And a headless horsewoman is riding around killing people. I think I’ll better serve the community this way,” Theo deadpanned. “So what’s the details?”

“It’s possibly from the irish mythology,” said Deaton. “A headless horsewoman, riding around with a wagon…”

“What taking names and cracking whips?" says Theo, sarcastcally.

“Cracking whips?” sad Deaton, frowning, “Wait a minute, that strikes a bell.” He quickly flipped through his books and then stopped at a page. “Dullahan,” he said.

“What’s a Dullahan?” asked Liam.

“A faery horseman,” said Deaton, “He or She, rides with their heads and call out the names of the person destined to die. They use a human spine as a whip and wherever they stop is when a mortal is supposed to die.”

“How do you stop them?” asked Liam.

“Gold,” said Deaton.

“Gold?” asked Theo. “Seriously? Just Gold?”

“Just gold,” said Deaton. “But all doors and gates open to the Dullahan and unless you plan to carry gold around for the rest of your life, chasing the Dullahan away using gold, isn't going to be a very feasible plan in the long run.”

“So wait,” said Liam, “You’re saying gold chases this thing away but it’ll keep coming back?”

“That’s precisely what I’m saying,” said Deaton.

“Guess she’s an overachiever,” said Theo. “Liam do you have any gold?”

“Uh,no…”

“Pure gold,” Deaton interrupted them. “The purest you can find.”

“First woman I ever knew that ran from jewelry,” Theo said.

“Well she’s also the first that can kill you by calling your name,” Liam retorted

“Sex must be a bitch for her,” said Theo.

Both Deaton and Liam stared at him.

“What? Just an observation.”

“Something is seriously wrong with you,” said Liam.

* * *

 

They bundled into Liam’s car and Theo said, “You mind giving me a drop back to the farm?”

Liam savagely turned the key in the ignition, “No.”

Theo raised and eyebrow but said nothing and Liam pulled out of the Animal Clinic and headed towards the farm on the outskirts of Beacon Hills.

After a moment Theo said, “So what really happened today?”

“What do you mean?” Liam spat out.

“Well for starters you’re literally spitting each word out like they’re nails and you could impale someone with them,” said Theo, “Now I understand this is your first loss since your took over but it feels like more.”

“You don’t know anything,” said Liam, “Just shut up!”

“You know you’re not going to get much done if you just let your anger rule you,” said Theo, “And unless you do something about it, you’ll mess up.”

“So you want me to talk it out?” Liam said Sarcastically. “Sorry but I rather punch it out at the moment and you make a convenient target so _stop talking!_.”

“Fine,” said Theo and yanked on the wheel. The car served and Liam wrestled with it until he got the car on the side of the road and pulled to a stop.

“What the hell was that?!”

Theo punched him.

Liams’ head whipped to the side and he put a hand to his mouth and looked at the blood on his fingers. He looked up at Theo, his eyes went gold and he roared and retaliated.

Theo had opened the door on his side so Liam’s tackle took them out of the car and onto the road. Luckily the place was pretty deserted. They rolled on the ground, and then Theo managed to get a grip on Liam’s arm which he twisted up behind him.

Liam elbowed him with his free hand and slammed Theo into the car. Theo’s gripped loosened and Liam twisted out and punched him full in the face. Bone crunched under his hand and Theo’s own eyes flared gold and then he was returning Liam’s punch, with interest.

Liam lost track of how long they’d been scuffling on the side of the road until Theo had him on his stomach, hands behind his back, one knee on his spine.

“Let me go!” he roared.

“Are you calm yet?” Theo asked.

“Let me go!”

“Calm down and I’ll let you go,” said Theo. Liam bucked under him but Theo held firm.

“Let me go Theo!”

“Why is this bothering you so much?!”

“Because I couldn’t save him!” Liam snapped. “Because i was pumping his lungs full of air and his heart wouldn’t start and it didn’t matter what I did because she’d killed him already! I couldn’t do anything! He was already dead. He’d been dead since physics and I couldn’t save him.” His anger turned to tears. “Don’t you get it? There was nothing I could do. There should have been. But there wasn’t. It didn’t matter if I performed perfect CPR, kept oxygen flowing to the brain, he wouldn’t ever recover, the paramedics would have never gotten a rhythm. He was dead before I ever tried to save him.”

He sat up unsure of when Theo had let him go and buried his head in his arms.

There was silence for a moment.

“Well the only thing you can do now is stop her,” said Theo. “But you need a clear head to do it.”

Liam looked at him and then nodded slowly. He took a deep breath, sniffed and wiped his face. “Alright. Let’s go find some gold.”

“Wanna rob a bank?” Theo asked smirking, holding out a hand.

Liam laughed and let Theo pull him up. “I thought a jewelry store would be easier.”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The EVERYONE Liam texts, refers to the pack. So the 'EVERYONE in BH' is all the pack and pack associated members currently in Beacon Hills. 
> 
> Tell me what you all think!!


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to all those who read and left kudos and comments!

Liam and Theo stared at Liam’s mom’s jewelry collection. 

“This one,” said Liam. Theo stared at the necklace that Liam held up. 

“Liam,” said Theo, “If you lose that you’ll have to sell all your organs,your car, my truck, all my organs and my sister’s heart, to buy that back.”

Liam stared at him, both eyebrows up.

“What?”

“Your sister’s heart? That’s um, a little callous isn’t it?”

Theo looked a little sheepish. “Actually I thought it’d be more considerate...you know, acknowledging the fact, giving her credit...not trying to claim what’s not mine…?”

Liam thought about it. And then shrugged a little, “Okay I see where you’re coming from.”

“But seriously, you can't use that necklace.”

“It’s the purest gold we have, since we can't break into a jewelry store,” Liam argued, “And I left the other necklace like that, for her protection. She wears that one everyday.”

“So we’re going into this with one gold necklace for protection?”

“You’re welcome to use one of the other necklaces,” Liam said.

“Unlike you I have an aversion to wearing women’s jewelry,” said Theo. He opened one of the other drawers and found Dr. Geyer’s collections of rings. 

“I think this’ll do,” he said extracting a heavy looking signet ring.

“Put it back!” hissed Liam. Theo slid it onto his left index finger and spread his hand out in front of him. 

“It think it looks good.”

“That’s his grandfather’s!” said Liam.

“I”m sorry, Liam. I willing to do a lot of things but offering a woman sub-par jewelry is not one of them.”

“You’re ridiculous!” Liam said disgusted. 

“You’re the one stealing your mother’s priceless necklace,” Theo replied, “Don’t be hypocritical.”

“I already punched you once today,” Liam warned.

“I noticed,” Theo deadpanned. “Look, how about either of us don’t lose the jewelry, yeah?”

Liam sighed. “Don’t lose it,” he said. 

“I don’t intend to, since it might be the only thing that saves my life,” Theo told him. Strangely enough that was the thing that reassured Liam. He didn’t what it said about him that he trusted his life to a guy whose self-survival instincts were higher than any other instinct he had.

(Except, Theo had sacrificed himself for Liam before. Had come with him in the zoo when he could have said no.There are days he really wishes Theo wasn’t so complicated.)

* * *

 

Liam to Scott: Do you ever wish people were less complicated?

Scott to Liam: I’m getting a distinct Theo vibe here. And yes, there are days I wish that too. But it’s the complicated things about people that often save us. I think you’ll find that to be true about a lot of people, Theo most definitely included. 

Liam to Scott: I’ll keep it in mind the next time I want to kill him. 

Scott to Liam: You do that. :)

Liam to Scott: :)

* * *

 

Liam really wishes he could wear a turtleneck but getting the necklace out of that if he needs to would be problematic. So he’s wearing a round neck t-shirt with the highest neck he cold find and occasionally tucks the gold strands back under his shirt whenever they being to show. 

Mason is wearing his best gold earrings and Corey has a cute bracelet made of gold chameleons, connected by their tongues. 

“So what do we do now?” Mason asks, shifting the folder filled with information compiled about the Dullahan. “What if she never shows up again?”

“She’ll show up again,” said Liam.

“Why do you think so?” asked Corey.

“Because it’s Beacon Hills,” said Liam, “Not only do we have a Nematon but we have a lot of telluric currents. I think the currents are like a web, they kinda trap things here for a bit, because it’s difficult to navigate the currents here.”

“I think you’re right,” said Corey, “There are places in town that it’s easier to turn invisible at. Lydia says there are some spots that her powers come through clearer.”

“So, you think that this horsewoman won’t be able to escape so easily?” Mason asked. 

“It’s also my experience when things come to kill people, they don’t generally come for one person,” Liam said grimly. 

“I won’t argue,” Mason said.

“Neither will I,” said Corey. “But do you think she’ll come to the school?”

“I don’t know,” said Liam, “But if we start running off from class too much Mrs. Martin will kill us far faster that any Dullahan will. Besides, I think this school attracts stuff.”

“Telluric currents also run under this school,” said Mason, “So I guess it’s a good a place as any to be in.”

“Or not,” said Liam. 

* * *

 

Theo to Liam: Any headless horsewomen?

Liam to Theo: Lots of females, but all of them still have their heads attached and none of them ride.

Theo to Liam: At least, they don’t ride horses. ;)

Liam to Theo: You need to get laid.

Theo to Liam: When I don’t have a job that does it’s best to kill me with exhaustion, sure.

Liam to Theo: You’re a chimera with healing factor. 

Theo to Liam: I’m pretty sure that’s the only reason I’m still alive. 

Liam to Theo: The Sheriff can hold a grudge.

Theo to Liam: I noticed. 

Liam to Theo: The porn is in the closet under the shoebox.

Theo to Liam: Thank you. 

* * *

 

Theo pulled up after school and Liam hopped in along with Mason and Corey.

“So the great plan is to just drive around and hope Corey sees something?” he said raising an eyebrow.

“When you have something better, tell us,” Corey said, “I’d appreciate it.”

Theo shook his head and put the truck in gear. 

* * *

 

Three hours later the four of them were at a red light, exhausted, bored and about ready to kill each other. Okay, more like Liam, Mason and Corey were irritable at each other and everybody wanted to kill Theo. Theo just wanted to kill everyone.

“We’re not getting anywhere with this,” said Theo. “It’s been three hours. And we’ve been around this town a million times.”

Liam sighed and rubbed at his temples. “Okay let’s just call it a day.”

“Finally,” Theo snapped and stepped on the gas as the light turned green.

“Wait!” Corey yelped. 

The truck jerked to a halt again, giving them all a case of whiplash but Corey snatched at them and they all saw the headless rider crossing the road as he dragged them into invisibility. 

But Corey’s shout and their unabashed stares drew its attention. 

The rider turned to see them looking at her and then there was a shrill scream of anger, the horse reared up and the rider whirled towards them. 

“Drive!” Liam yelped. 

Theo slammed the truck into reverse and took off away from the approaching horsewoman.The horsewoman thundered after them and then drew out what looked like a whip and tossed it at them. 

The whip hit the front of the truck, the force of it causing them to fishtail wildly while still reversing. There was much yelling but Theo kept the truck on the road until he could spin and then floored the pedal.  

Sadly the horse kept up and the rider raised its arm to whip at them again when Mason tossed one of his earrings at her. 

There was another shrill scream, a gust of wind and suddenly they were alone. 

 

The truck skidded to a halt and they all stared at each other. 

“She’s still here,” said Liam.

“She’s definitely still here,” agreed Mason.

“And she damaged my truck,” said Theo, sounding pissed..

They all peered at the hood and saw a deep gash that went almost through the metal. 

“Wow,” said Mason.

“I’m sorry dude,” said Corey.

“Not as sorry as she’s going to be!” The chimera’s voice was shaking with rage and his eyes flared yellow. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As usual tell me what you think about this chapter!!
> 
> Have a nice day/night!


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you all enjoy!

Liam stood and watched from the house as Theo tried to fix the truck. He winced as Theo ran a hand over the scar left by the Dullahan and then watched as he began to bend the ripped open scar back into place.

He grimaced and walked outside. “Hey at least put on gloves before you…”

Before he could finish, Theo’s hand slipped and was cut open on the jagged ends of the metal.

“...cut yourself,” said Liam, finishing dejectedly. If his dad were here, reflected Liam, he’d be having a heart attack right about now. He shook his head. “Wait,” he said. But Theo waved him off.

“It doesn’t matter,” he says and goes back to working on the truck. Liam sighs and runs to the house, grabs a dishcloth and goes back to the truck in time for Theo’s hand to be cut open a second time.

He tosses the cloth over the scar in the truck and gives Theo a look. Theo sort of looks at him, without quite looking at him and Liam wants to roll his eyes but he doesn’t. Instead he tucks the cloth along the edges of the metal and begins to push at it. When his hands slip on the smooth finish, the cloth protects him from being ripped into.

Theo silently follows his lead and soon enough the cut on the truck is closed but not healed.

“I guess somebody could put a patch on it,” said Liam.

“Yeah maybe,” says Theo. He tosses the cloth at Liam and stalks over to the house, going around to where he can climb into Liam’s window. He has yet to use the front door.

* * *

 

Liam to Mason: What the hell happened this evening?

Mason to Liam: The Dullahan doesn’t like to be observed.

Liam to Mason: Seriously? What’s with horse people and being seen?

Mason to Liam: I haven’t the slightest clue. But we were lucky. If the Dullahan had caught us she might have taken our eyes. Worse if she threw blood on us, we might be next.

Liam to Mason: Did you just say throw blood on us?

Mason to Liam: Apparently she does that too, yeah. Carries around a basin of it.

Liam to Mason: I don’t know what to say to that.

Mason to Liam: You and me bro.

* * *

 

Liam to EVERYONE in BH: So we have a Dullahan riding around BH. You shouldn’t be able to see her normally but if you do, don’t let it see you. She doesn’t like to be observed.

CA: You should have something gold on you too.

SS: What’s a Dullahan?

Liam: A headless horsewoman who kills people by calling out their names. They die at the spot she does that. But only when they reach the spot.

SS: What?!

Liam: She is repelled by gold, the purer the better. It won’t keep her away forever though.

MM: I’m glad I didn’t sell all my jewelry.

JP: Seeing that I’m a poor public servant does anyone else have extra gold? Also the Dullahan is another harbinger of death?

CA: No, from what I remember, she just kills people.

JP: Like a grim reaper?

CA: Something like that. But Grim Reapers are considered part of the natural order, a personification of death itself. Dullahans are preternatural creatures, killing for their own gain or amusement.

MM: I’ll look out for any more sudden heart attack cases.

Liam: Thanks.

He dropped his phone on his bed and Theo snatched it up to go through the chat.

* * *

 

“It’s own gain,” he murmured after a while.

“Huh?” Liam is dragged out of his schoolwork by Theo’s murmured words.

His enforcer in currently lying across Lima’s bed, just behind him so Liam has to twist to see his face.

“What does killing do for it?” He said raising an eyebrow at Laim.

“What do you mean?” asked Liam.

“Why does it kill? If it’s just for pleasure, there's nothing we can do, but if there’s a reason, we could work something out, find a way to stop it, or even just predict its victims.”

“You think there might be a pattern to the kills?”

“Or just criteria,” said Theo.

“But we only have one victim,” said Liam.

“That we know of,” said Theo.

“You think there might be more?”

“There’s a possibility,” Theo allowed. “I mean, the very first victim is the one we see? The odds aren’t exactly great for that.”

Liam’s fist clenched and his eyes glowed. The chance that there might have been other people dying while he did nothing, knew nothing…

“Hey,” said Theo. “Look, I know this is a thing you all do, you and Scott and everyone in this pack; protect everyone and feel all guilty when you don’t but if you’re going to do this you have to accept that you can’t save everyone. You can’t be everywhere Laim. You just can’t. The only thing you can do is stop it from happening again.”

“But they’re mine to protect,” said Liam.” I'm supposed to keep them safe.”

“And you do your best,” said Theo. “Look does the sheriff feel guilty over every murder in his town? Probably. But he does his best to prevent them and get the killers when he cant. So stop angst-ing, learn from the past and get to work. It's not like Scott saved everyone either but he tried right? That's what you have to do.”

“Keep people alive” said Liam, calming, remembering their goal, his alpha’s goal.

“So,” said Theo, “Melissa?”

Liam nodded.

“I’m going to get Mason to ask her. She likes him best.”

* * *

 

“Hey Mason,” Liam said over the phone, “can you ask Melissa to go over the heart attack cases and see if any happened before Lenny?”

“You think there might be more?”

“Theo thinks there might be more and as the resident murderer I'm inclined to take his expertise.”

“I’m touched,” Theo said.

“I'll get on it,” said Mason. “You know she's gonna figure out what happening if I keep calling her right.?”

“Just cause she figured it out doesn't mean it won't work,” Liam said.

“Point,” said Mason.

“Thanks,” said Liam.

“Don't thank me yet,” said Mason, “you're delivering dinner this time.”

Liam sighed. “I'll take Corey. She likes him best after you.”

* * *

 

They don't expect to meet the dullahan quite so early the next morning.

Mason is picking up Liam and Corey for school that day since Liam's mom borrowed his car. Theo was uncharacteristically leaving a little late that day so he was still there when Mason pulled up and that's when Corey yelled, "Watch out!”

They all jump and then Corey is scrambling out the car, Mason after him and they're in a defensive position before they know it. Liam and Theo are in the front, Mason and Corey behind and Corey grabs ahold of both their shoulders while Mason grips his arm and then they're all invisible and they can see the Dullahan raring over Theo's truck. But she doesn't attack them.

Instead in a move no one sees coming, she calls out the license plate number of the truck. The horse slams its hooves on the hood and the whole truck shudders, gives a sad little whine, the lights flash once and then shuts off. Then the dullahan rears away and is gone.

They all stare at the truck.

“What the hell?” says Liam.

* * *

 

The truck is dead. No matter what they do it doesn't start. They’ve even tried to jump start it but that doesn't work.

“She killed my truck,” said Theo and he’s spitting mad but there's an undercurrent of hurt in his chemo signals but even that is buried under panic that Liam can't understand.

“Why would she kill the truck?” asked Corey?”

“Cause she's insane?” offers Liam.

“Because she whipped it,” said Mason suddenly.

“If you see the dullahan it either throws blood on you or whip you. If it does, sometimes that means you’re the next victim.”

“So she made my truck her next victim?” Said Theo.

“So if she had hit any of us,” said Corey.

“It would have been us,” said Liam.

* * *

 

Liam to EVERYONE in BH: The dullahan killed Theo's truck this morning.

SS: You wanna repeat that?

Liam: It's not starting no matter what we do.

SS: You're kidding me.

CA: That's a first. Is the truck still there? I'll take a look at it.

Liam: Yeah it's still there. Theo took a sick day since I didn't think it was a good idea to let him be alone with other people in a remote location, while this angry.

SS: I'll let it pass this time. Where is he now?

Liam: Mason and Corey are at Deaton's. I'm in class, he's hanging around the office. Mrs Martian put him to work being her secretary for the day.

MM: Natalie is amazing. I'm going to buy her lunch.

Liam: Well she didn't forget what he did to Lydia either.

JP: Anything in the records Ms McCall?

MM: Not yet. There’s still some more to go through though.

Liam: thanks Ms McCall. I have to go focus on bio now though.

MM: I'll text if something comes up.

* * *

 

“Aren't you two supposed to be in school?” asked Deaton.

“You have no idea how guilty I feel right now,” said Mason.

“But we have a question to ask,” Corey says.

“Yesterday,” said Mason, “I threw my earring at the dullahan to make it go away.”

“Alright,” said Denton.

“But when I picked it up this morning it’s black,” said Mason. “ I washed I off, thinking it might be soot, but it’s still black. So I was wondering if the dullahan did something to it.”

“Hmm,” said Deaton. “Let me take a look at it.”

Mason hands over the previously gold stud and Deaton carries it over to the table and switches on the light. He frowns and then cautiously takes a scalpel and scrapes at it a little.

Mason holds back a cry of protest and then frowns at the scrape. Even though Deaton has scratched of the outer layer, the inside is still black.

“I don’t think it’s gold anymore,” says Deaton.

Mason blinks. “What?”

“This is obsidian,” said Deaton. “See the way it chipped away? Gold doesn’t break off like that. This is more crystalline and it looks like obsidian to me.”

“It changed my gold earing to obsidian?” says Mason. “Do you know how much that cost?”

“But that means,” Corey interjects, “That our gold stuff only works once.”

“Yes,” said Deaton, “Yes, it does mean that.”

“Uh,” said Mason, “That’s really not good.”

“Yeah,” said Corey, “We might have to rob a bank after all.”

* * *

 

Chris Argent stares at the blue truck. He gets in and tries to start it. The truck doesn’t respond.

“Okay.”

He gets out and pops the hood. Everything looks fine as far as he can tell. He checks the pipes, caps, lines. Nothing out of order. Theo clearly loves his truck and keeps it in good order. After poking around it some more he concludes that the electrical system isn’t fried.

He frowns. “Wait a minute,” he murmurs.

The dullahan had given Lenny Gabes a heart attack, maybe it had done the same to Theo’s truck. “If you kill the organ, a jump-start isn’t going to help. You’d need a new heart because jump-starting an organ where all the cells are destroyed, isn’t going to work.”

He closes the hood, pats the truck and says, “I’ll be right back.”

The truck is still sitting sadly at the curb by the time he returns. It takes some work but he hooks up the new battery to the truck and then tries to start it. It doesn’t start.

Chris let’s out a breath and wonders what to do for a moment. Then he hops out, and hooks up his truck to Theos and attempts to jump start it again.

The truck groans, coughs and starts.

Chris let’s it run a little, detaches the jump cables and turns of Theo’s truck. He holds his breath and turns the key. It starts.

* * *

 

CA to MM: I’ve resuscitated the truck.

MM to CA: I’m so proud of you.

* * *

 

CA to Liam: The truck is fixed.

Liam to CA: Can you bring it to the school?

CA to Liam: Sure.

* * *

 

Liam takes his lunch tray to the office and Ms. Martin lets him in. Theo is sitting at a desk sorting through letters and looking like he might burn them all.

Liam sits in the chair opposite him and hands him the extra sandwich.

Theo snatches it and begins to unwrap it but stops when he sees Liam is grinning at him.

“What?” he says irritable.

Liam turns to look out the window which overlooks the parking lot.

Theo turns to look and just then his truck turns into the school lot. He looks at Liam who grins at him.

“Argent fixed it,” he says. And then Theo is out the office and Liam puts down his own sandwich and follows him out.

They reach the truck by the time Chris parks it.

“How’d you fixed it?” asked Theo.

“She gave it a heart attack, like she did to Lenny Gabes,” says Argent. “So I changed out the engine.”

“Oh,” said Theo. He gently places a hand on the truck. Liam blinks and suddenly erupts into laughter.

“What?” said Theo and even Argent is looking at him inquisitively.

“It’s like you now,” Liam says, still chuckling.

“What do you mean?” asked Theo.

“It’s a chimera,” says Liam. “You both have different hearts now. I mean granted yours was obtained by nefarious means but, you know.”

Theo is staring at him like he's insane.

“You’re insane,” he says. But Liam still laughs. After a moment Theo gives a little smile.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As per usual, give me feedback please!! I love the stuff.
> 
> Have a nice day/night!!


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another info chapter. Still I hope you all enjoy it!
> 
> Disclaimer: I do not own Teen Wolf.

 

"So how do you think the baby beta is doing?" asked Stiles.

"I think he's doing okay," said Scott. "If he's unsure about something he texts me. Or calls."

"Well that's something at least," said Stiles.

"Do you know he started a group chat with our parents and Parrish?" asked Scott.

"You're kidding right?" said Stiles. "My dad doesn't even know how to download whatsapp."

"I think he learned," said Scott. "It's apparently turning out to be quite useful."

"You're kidding right?" said Stiles.

"Why did we never think of that?" asked Scott.

"Maybe because we kept hoping each time would be the last time?" said Stiles wryly.

"Probably," agrees Scott.

Stiles is silent for a minute and then he says, "You know, I never thought I would say this but it's not turning out to be so bad, leaving Liam in charge."

Scott laughs. "No it isn't." He's silent for a moment too. "They'll always need us. But maybe the us they need is the pack, not us specifically."

"Yeah," Stiles agrees somberly. "What we did with the nematon...That's on us."

"We had to do it," said Scott.

"I know," said Stiles. "But all the things that came because of it. All the bad guys."

"All the friends," Scott rejoins gently.

Stiles sighed. "All the friends," he agrees.

"Beacon Hills will be there when we finish college," said Scott.

"Are we going back?" asks Stiles.

"Of course we are," said Scott, "Sworn protector of Beacon Hills right?"

Stiles laughs.

"Besides," said Scott, "It's home. And you're right. What we did with the nematon is on us."

"Nous protègons ceux qui ne peuvent pas se protèger eux-měmes," Stiles rattles off softly.

Scott's breath catches for a moment and then he smiles. "We protect those who cannot protect themselves."

The two let a companionable silence fall for awhile until Stiles says, "A group chat? Really?"

Scott laughs.

* * *

 

 

"So the gold only works once?" said Theo. "That's just great."

"Are you sure it's not just because it hit the dullahan directly?" Liam asks.

"No I'm not sure," said Mason, "But it's better to operate under the assumption that it only works once."

"Great," said Laim.

"You best get another necklace," Theo says, "Because if that one turns to obsidian, we're both dead."

"If my dad's ring turns to obsidian, you're dead," Liam hisses.

"We're all dead if she sees us," Mason said flatly. "And I'm pretty sure your parents would want you alive Liam, a lot more that they'd want jewelry."

Liam is silent and then sighs. "Sorry. I'm just edgy."

"Yeah we all are," said Corey.

Just then, Liam phone rings. He answers it, listens to the person on the other side and says, "We're on our way."

He looks at the others. "Melissa thinks she found a previous victim."

* * *

 

 

They tumble through the hospital doors, narrowly avoid a trolley crowded around by hospital staff and meet Melissa in one of the supply rooms.

"What is it?" Liam asks.

"Here," said Melissa, "This is the patient file. A Kaeny Reaper. She was thirty years old, fit, healthy as far as the autopsy could tell and basically had no reason for a heart attack to occur. They checked for poison but everything came back normal. They finally just ruled it as natural causes and moved on. But this was two weeks ago."

Liam took the folder and studied it. Mason tugged it out of his hands and Liam let it go. Mason was more likely to figure out any connection.

"Anything similar to Lenny?" Liam asked. "Biologically I mean?"

"Not that I could see," said Melissa.

"And that's the only one you found?" said Theo.

"Yeah. But I was only looking for heart attack victims. Can this thing kill otherwise?"

"If it's a faery, probably," Mason said.

"But they usually have a preferred method of killing," said Theo.

"Faeries?" asked Melissa.

"Serial killers," replied Theo. "They have an MO. That's how you catch them."

"So we're trying to profile a faerie?" asked Corey.

"Apparently," Liam, "So far as I can see she likes stopping hearts and doesn't have a victim gender preference."

"Afraid of shiny things and doesn't liked to be watched," said Theo.

"We need more information," said Mason still skimming through the file.

"No kidding," said Theo sarcastically.

"Hey," said Mason, "This name, Liam do you recognize it?"

Liam looked over Mason's shoulder. "I... looks familiar."

"Who is it?" asked Theo.

"Kaeny's cousin, Elias Town," said Mason, "He's listed as a visitor to the morgue to see her."

"The deadpool." said Liam suddenly.

"The what?" said Theo.

"Before your time," said Liam, "Professional assassins trying to kill everybody. Not important except that Elias Town was one of the people on the deadpool. A preternatural."

"So was Kaeny one too?" asked Corey.

"Only one way to find out," said Liam.

"Do you mind if I stay here?" said Mason, "I want to go through Lenny's file too."

"Sure," said Liam, "Theo and I will go. Corey stay with him and Melissa in case the dullahan comes."

"Sure," said Corey. "I'll keep you all updated."

* * *

 

 

"Do you know if Lenny was a preternatural?" asked Theo.

Liam shook his head. "I never smelt anything on him, " he said, "I mean I know most of whom are preternaturals at school but Lenny always seemed human to me."

"Any idea what this Elias Town is?"

"Not a clue," said Laim.

"Great," said Theo.

* * *

 

 

Elias Town lives on the outskirts of Beacon Hills. They park Liam's car and head up to the apartment.

Liam rings the doorbell and waits.

"Who is it?" a man's voice calls.

"Um, Mr. Town?" Liam asks.

"Yes," says the voice. "Someone peers through the peephole and then opens the door. It is a man around 28, with curly jet black hair and odd shaped eyes, which are also black.

"Hi I'm Liam Dunbar," he said, "Um I wanted to ask about your cousin Kaeny?"

"Kaeny's dead," Elia said flatly.

"I know that," said Liam, "My condolences. But uh, can we talk inside? This really isn't a conversation to be having in a hallway."

Elias eyes them and then lets them in.

Once the door's shut though he whirls, leans against it and says. "I know who you are. You're McCall's beta. The one he left in charge."

Liam's eyebrows go up in surprise and beside him he feels Theo tense.

"Okay," he said, "So you can maybe guess why we're here."

"You don't think Kaeny's death was an accident," Town says.

"No," said Liam, "A dullahan is in Beacon Hills and I need to know if Kaeny was a preternatural or not."

"And if so what kind," Theo added.

Elias watches them for a moment while his jaw works and then he says abruptly," She wasn't. I am but she's not. It's hereditary but she's a little distant from the family line. She didn't have enough of the... genes I guess to manifest."

"What are you?" asked Liam.

Elias laughed harshly. "You walked into my house without knowing what I am?"

"Pretty much yeah," said Liam, unconcernedly.

Elias eyed him and then laughed a little softer this time. "You'll do I think. You don't scare easily."

"Not anymore," Liam agreed. "So what are you?"

"Kaeny carried the name," he said. "The family members who don't have the power, they carry the name as a warning."

"Reaper," said Theo, "Her last name was Reaper."

"I'm a clann a 'bhrìgh," he said.

"A what now?" said Liam as his mind tried to identify the syllables.

"We originate from what people used to call the ghost judges. Preternaturals formed from the spirits of the righteously vengeful."

"Living dead?" asked Theo.

"No," said Elias, "They were alive, it is said that their spirits, once they became a ghost judge, the spirits would return to the bodies they just left and revive it. Kinda like if someone got resuscitated after having no heartbeat for a few minutes."

"But they came back different," said Liam.

"Very," agreed Elias. "But as terrifying as they were the ghost judges were actually on the side of light. But I'm not that. A clann a 'bhrigh, is descended from the only person who became a ghost judge without dying. Don't ask nobody knows how."

"But your cousin wasn't what you are," said Theo. "Is there any reason why the dullahan might want to kill her?"

"Dullahans, like clann a 'bhrigh, originate in Scotland," said Elias, "But I didn't exactly grow up there. My knowledge is limited to my own family myths."

"The same place," murmurs Liam, "You said that she didn't have enough power to manifest but she did have power right?" asked Liam.

"A little," said Elias frowning.

"So, could the dullahan have targeted her for that power?"

"But why not me?" asked Elias.

"Because you're too powerful," said Theo. "This is Beacon Hills. Telluric currents run through this place like highways. She wouldn't know how powerful you are here, especially since the Irish has a thing with leylines."

"So she went for the weaker one," finished Liam.

"We need to find out if Lenny Gabes was related to any preternaturals," said Theo.

"Thank you," said Liam to Elias, "You helped a lot."

They made to leave, but Elias grabbed Liam's arm. "If this is true, if the dullahan did kill Kaeny, what are you going to do?"

"I'm going to stop her," said Liam, "But you should also know I follow Scott's rules."

"Pacifist," he said, eyes darkening to something very dangerous.

"Yes," said Liam, "Enough people have died already. I'm not about to become what I fight."

Elias blinked and his eyes lightened. "Fine," he said. "Go."

Liam nodded and pulled his arm free and headed out the door. He swept past Theo and made for the car and then stopped when he realised that Theo hadn't followed.

"I hope you adopt some of those pacifist principles yourself," The chimera said casually, to Elias.

"I know what you are," Elias said.

"I know," said Theo, "So you know that when I tell you to toe the line, you should."

Liam didn't think he was talking about being a chimera.

"Will he stand that?" Elias said.

Theo laughed, low and dangerous and very friendly. "Oh haven't you heard? I'm a pacifist these days myself. But I'm good about making people wish I weren't." With that implicit threat he smiled a Elias and said, "Stay safe."

Liam gave him a look when he joined him.

"What?" said Theo.

Liam shook his head.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Give me you thoughts!!
> 
> Have a nice day/night!!


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OhMyGosh The series finale was awesome!!!!!! I loved it. Goodbye Teen Wolf, I hope you all catch Monroe soon. 
> 
> With that said I hope you all enjoy this chapter!!

“Hey,” said Liam, “We’re on our way back. Did Mason find anything?”

“Maybe,” said Corey, “He’s going over the deadpool list to see if a name is on it.”

“Well we’re on our way back,” said Liam.

“Did you find out anything?” asked Corey.

“Kaeny Reaper wasn’t quite a preternatural. She had family who was but she herself didn't have a lot of power. It’s possible that the dullahan killed her because she was an easy target and because her death might give the dullahan more power than the average person.”

“I’ll pass it on to Mason,” said Corey.

* * *

 

Mason having found nothing so helpful in Lenny’s file called Sheriff Stilinski for help.

“Can you run a sort of background check on him?” asked Mason, “I need to know if he’s related to anyone who might be preternatural.”

“Is this necessary?”asked the Sheriff.

“It might help us figure out who might be the next victim,” said Mason.

The Sheriff sighed. “Yeah I’ll get Parrish on it.”

* * *

 

Ten minutes later Parrish called Mason.

“So I looked through his close family members but didn’t get a hit for anything we were looking for,’ he said, “So I expanded a little.”

“What did you find?” asked Mason.

“I got a hit to one of his family members when I cross referenced the names to the deadpool list. He has a distant cousin, thrice removed or something, a Joanne McLaughlin, unknown what she is but she was pulling 1 mil for her death.”

“So, he was related to a preternatural,” said Mason.

“We don’t know if it was anything that ran in families though.”

“I’m willing to bet it was,” said Mason. “Do you have an address?”

“And a number,” said Parrish, “But I’m going there,” he said, “Argent is meeting me there.”

“Alright, I’ll tell Liam,” said Mason.

* * *

 

Liam’s phone rang and he answered. “Mason?”

“Parrish says that Lenny was related to someone on the deadpool list,” said Mason, “He and Argent are going to check it out. They’ll call back with what they found.”

“So Lenny was something?” asked Liam.

“I think he was like Kaeny,” said Mason, “Barely anything, if he was.”

“Thanks,” said Liam, “We’re on our way back to the hospital.”

* * *

 

“So this thing is running down people who are a little preternatural?” asked Theo from where he was driving, having listened to the phone conversation.

“Seems like it,” said Liam.

“But why them?” asked Theo. “I mean this is Beacon Hills,” said Theo, “A lot of preternatural families lived here. Chances are a good few people are walking around who had preternatural ancestry.”

“Maybe those people didn’t have enough power?” asked Liam.

“Maybe,” said Theo.

* * *

 

 

Parrish pulled up in his squad car across from the house of Joanne McLaughlin. A few moments later Chris Argent’s car pulled up and parked behind him.

Parrish got out and he and Argent nodded at each other. They went up to the front door and he knocked.

“Coming,” a voice called out. A few moments later a woman with lovely long black hair and strange blue glittering eyes, opened the door. Parrish felt the breath being swept out of him as he saw her. She was gorgeous, perfect, fair skin, a strangely alluring aura, lovely, dark lips with an exoctically angled face.

For a moment Argent seemed to be just as struck as him and then the fire in him reared it’s head, his instincts repelling the woman’s aura.

“Stop it,” he says, voice lowering into a growl.

The woman blinked and suddenly her the sparkling faded from her eyes, and the aura damped down.

“Sorry,” she said, “It’s automatic. I don't’ even think about it anymore.”

Parrish wasn’t so sure he believed her. She smiled at him, coy and sly. “Anything I can help you with officer?”

“What are you?” he said.

“I’m a graphic designer,” she said.

“Not what he meant,” said Argent. “And you know it. So let’s skip the little play and get to what’s important shall we?”

She snorted with laughter and then said, “Won’t you come in?”

“I don’t think so,” Parrish told her, his instincts itching at him.

“Fine,” she said and suddenly she was all business. “I’m a selkie. Now what business is it of yours?”

“Was Lenny Gabes one of you?” Parrish asked.

“Lenny?” she said surprised. “No. He was a the child of the child of a child sired by my uncle. He was too far removed from the blood. His mother is virtually human and she married a human man. Lenny himself had only a trace of the selkie ancestry. And when I say trace I say it generously.”

“So no power?” asked Argent. “Nothing to even nod at?”

“Little enough that one of my kind wouldn’t ever notice him,” said Mclaughlin. “Why?”

“A dullahan,” said Parrish, “He was killed by a dullahan. We’re trying to find out if any of the victims had anything in common.”

“So you think the dullahan killed people with power?”

“We think she killed people with little enough power not to be able to hurt her, but enough power to make her stronger.”

“But Lenny barely makes that category,” she said.

“But some people manifest later,” said Parrish.

“Yes, but…” she trailed off. “He would have been eighteen next month,” she said, suddenly.

“What does that have to do anything?” asked Parrish.

“Selkies can get their first skins when they’re adults,” said Argent.

“His power would have spiked,” she said, “Not enough for anything but as part of the maturation process. A legacy of his blood.”

“It would have spiked high enough to make him a target,” said Parrish.

“Possibly,” she said. “You’d have to ask his mother. She might know more I guess, if anything was changing with him.”

“Thank you,” said Parrish. “We’ll look into it.”

“No thank you,” said McLaughlin. They turned to go but heard her laugh, a little hysterically. “They always said the Irish myths were tragedies,” she said, clinging to the doorway “When we came to the new world, we hoped for a better start. But I guess you can’t run from what you are.”

“What you are doesn’t define who you are,” Parrish said, “I’m a welsh myth myself and they don’t have the best track record either but I’m not a tragedy.”

“The Cwn Annwn’s usually aren’t,” she said but she was smiling a little. “Good hunting, Hound of Destiny.”

* * *

 

“So Lenny Gabes was maybe something,” Mason said to Liam when he hung up the phone. “Possibly had selkie blood.”

“We have those here?” asked Theo.

“What’s a selkie?” asked Corey.

“I’m with Corey, what’s a selkie?” said Melissa.

“People who can change into seals, when they wear sealskin,’ said Thoe. “A variation of the mermaid myth I guess.”

“Well the Irish version apparently,” said Mason, then paused.

“Irish,” said Theo into the silence, eyes lightening up.

“The dullahan is Irish,” said Mason, “So is the clann a 'bhrìgh and the selkies.”

“So maybe,” said Theo.

“She’s only killing people with Irish bloodlines,” Mason finished.

“That was freaky,” said Corey, looking between the two of them.

“But all these people,” said Liam, “All also have power right?”

“Yeah, maybe that has something to do with it too,” said Mason, “Maybe it’s easier for her to take the power from them.”

“Or maybe she just prefers it,” said Theo. “I’m pretty sure she can kill other people too.”

“A little taste of home,” said Corey, suddenly. They all looked at him. “What? The dullahan isn’t originally from here right? I mean she isn’t like us, not born here. Maybe she was born in back in Ireland and well, likes to get the power of people that reminds her of home?”

“I don’t think we need to go this far into profiling,” said Liam. “Which other Irish descended people we have here?”

“Um,” Mason consults the deadpool list to see if anyone there came from Irish mythology.

“Lydia would have qualified,” said Theo, “Or maybe her mom. Banshees are irish mythology too.”

“But Lydia’s banshee abilities don’t come from her mother’s side,” said Melissa. “It comes from her father’s side.”

“So if her father was here he might be in danger,” said Liam.

“But he’s in another state,” said Melissa.

Just then Corey’s head jerked up. “Uh guys. I saw that flash of green light again.”

“She’s here?”asked Liam.

“Yeah I think so,” said COrey.

They all glanced at each other and then Liam was pulling his mom’s necklace out his shirt and Theo was doing the same with the cord he’d strung Liam’s dad’s ring on. Mason fingered his last gold earring while Corey spun his bracelet and Melissa spun the wedding ring she hadn’t worn in a long time.

“There it is again,” he said, “I’m going invisible.”

“Be careful!” examined Mason, “If she sees you.”

“I’ll stay out of the way of any whips,” says Corey smirking a little and then he was gone from sight.

“Um, now that he’s gone,” said Theo, “how do we fight what we can’t see?”

“No clue,” said Liam.

There was pause and then Mason said, “Um guys. I think I just saw the flash of green light.”

“Where?” said Liam.

“Dead ahead,” said Mason.

“I didn’t see anything,” Theo groewled.

“It just happened again,” said Mason.

“I didn’t see anything either,” said Melissa.

“Oh shit,” said Mason, “She’s here.”

“No kidding,” Corey materialized close to them. “We have to go. Now. The other way.” He pushed at them and they all turned and ran down the hallway.

* * *

 

 

It seemed like they made a million and one turns before they lost her but finally they were crouched in a storage room.

“Mason, did you see her?” asked Liam.

“I did,” said Mason.

“How?” asked Corey, “Can you tell like how you can tell for me?”

“No,” said Mason, “I seriously saw her there, in colour. HD. 3D. Everything.” he fingered his earring again and Theo frowned.

“Are you wearing the other one?” he asked.

“The other what?”

“The other earring, the one you threw at her the last time?”

Mason froze and then nodded slowly. “You think, that’s how I’m seeing her.”

“It’s a possibility,” said Theo.

“So obsidian-turned gold can help us see her?” said Liam.

“Uh. I see the green light again,” said Corey.

“And maybe it helps her track us,” said Theo.

“Shit,” said Mason.

“Drop it,” said Liam. “Now.”

Mason fumbled and tugged the stud out his ear and then they all hightailed it down the hospital corridors, no doubt looking like crazy people.

“She’s still coming,” said Corey carefully peering around the corner.

“But why?’ asked Mason, “I dropped the earring. She didn’t whip any of us.”

“No clue, don’t care,” said Theo.

“Theo’s right,” said Liam. “Let’s lead her out of the hospital.”

“Okay,” said Melissa. “We can head out to the back parking lot.

“We better go now,” Corey’s disembodied voice said.

They all dived down the corridor and through some miracle made it out to the parking lot.

The boys shoved Mellisa behind them, Corey standing behind Theo and Liam, resting a hand on each shoulder before turning them invisible.

* * *

 

The world swirled into green light and then the dullahan was in front of them. Liam let his claws extend and his eyes turn gold, Theo doing the same beside him.

The dullahan released it’s whip and they divided apart to keep from being hit. As soon as Corey’s grip in them came loose, neither he nor Theo could see her.

“Theo duck,” said Corey’s voice. Theo ducked and the ground next to him cracked as the whip laid into it.

“Liam you too!”

Liam leaned back.

“Jump!” said Corey. “Theo, one o’clock!”

Theo took the opportunity to rip the ring from around his neck and toss it in the direction the dullahan purportedly was in.

There was a loud screech and then the same rush of wind. It knocked Liam, Corey and Theo back, whooshed over Mason and Melissa and then it was gone.

Liam groaned and picked himself up, road rash healing as he did so.

“Oh crap,” he said, “Dad’s ring.”

“Uh guys,” said Mason.Liam looked over at him and then at what he was staring at.

Melissa McCall was covered in blood, looking like she’d been splashed with a basin of it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As per usual I love feedback!!


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you all enjoy this chapter and that it was fitting!

“This is bad right?” Melissa said staring at all the blood.

“Um,” said Mason.

“Very,” said Corey.

“You should probably move from that spot. If she returns and calls your name you're dead,” Theo told her.

Melissa blinks and walks toward the hospital. “I have a double shift,” said Melissa, “I have to go back in.”

“You’re covered in blood,” said Mason.

“I have a spare scrubs in my bag,” said Melissa,

“I’ll get it,” said Liam, “It’s in the staff room right? If anyone sees me I’ll say I was looking for my dad.”

“Okay,” said Melisa. “I should get somewhere where I can wash this off without being seen.”

“That'd be wise,” said Theo.

* * *

 

A couple minutes later they were all gathered around a mostly unused bathroom, tucked away in one of the far wings of the hospital. Liam had come back with the scrub top and now they were all outside the door while Melissa changed inside.

“It wasn’t tracking the earring,” said Mason, “It was going after Mrs. McCall.”

“But why?” said Liam, “She’s not anything.”

“That we know off,” said Corey.

“Yeah but I doubt it’s Irish,” said Liam.

“Oh I’m an idiot,” said Theo suddenly. “Banshee.”

“I’m not a banshee,” said Melissa coming out.

“I know you’re not,” said Theo. “But McCall.”

They all stared at him blankly. “Banshee, McCall? Nobody ever made that connection?”

“What connection?” asked Liam.

“Oh!” said Mason in sudden enlightenment.

“Someone please explain,” said Melissa.

“Banshees, according to the myths, are usually linked to families,” said Theo, “And those families were those with the names that usually had Mc or O’ in them. That’s why Lydia latched on to Scott so quickly. Banshees are a rare addition to any pack but Lydia is pretty firmly part of Scott’s. It’s because of his name.”

“But that doesn’t make me anything Irish,” said Melissa.

“No, “said Theo, “but you’re the mother of a true alpha and a part of his pack. There’s definitely going to be power in your death.”

“Not to mention you brought him back from death,” said Mason, somberly.

“So it’s going to come after me,” said Melissa.

“We have to stop it before it does,” said Liam.

“How?” said Mason.

“What happens if we inject it with gold?” asked Corey.

Everyone looked at him. “What? Just grind it down and put it in a liquid and shoot the whole thing into her.”

“That...might work,” said Mason.

“It’s dumb enough to,” said Theo. “We should probably ask Deaton though.”

“Yeah,” said Liam, “Let’s do that.”

* * *

  


“Well it’s certainly worth a try,” said Deaton, when they called him. “But you’re going to need gold.”

“I’m working on it,” said Liam.

“Are we going to rob a jewelry store now?” asked Theo.

“Nope,” said Liam, “We’re going to ask Ms. Martin for help.”

“You’re going to ask Ms. Martin for her jewelry?”

“Some of it,” said Liam. “But you’re going to ask Chris Argent if he has any of his wife’s left to donate to the cause.”

“Uh, the jewelry of his dead wife? The one he doesn’t mention at all?” Theo said staring at him wide-eyed.

“Yup,” said Liam. He clapped a hand of Theo’s shoulder. “Good luck.”

Theo blinked a couple times and then said, “I said I wasn’t going  to die for you!”

“But you did agree to fight with me!” Liam called back heading to his car.

“Yeah but this is suicide!”

“Are you kidding?” asked Liam, “I gave you the better end of the deal.” He stuck his head out the car window, grinned at Theo and drove off.

* * *

 

Theo pulled up outside of Chris Argent's house and then just sat in the truck for awhile. After about 10 minutes his phone rang.

“Are you going to come in?” asked Argent. Theo sighed.

“This is Liam’s idea,” he said when he came in.

“What is?” asked Argent.

“Deaton thinks that injecting the dullahan with gold would have a chance of stopping it, “ said Theo. “And we’re kinda on the clock now that it splashed Melissa with blood.”

“It what?!” said Chris.

“They didn’t tell you?” asked Theo.

“Clearly not,” said Argent. “Is she okay?”

“She’s fine, just shook  up. BUt if it comes again, it’s coming for her and we might only have a few hours. The Dullahan came the next morning for my truck.”

“What does Liam want?” asked Argent voice all business.

“Jewellry,” said Theo.

“I don’t have a lot of that,” said Argent.

“Yeah well he though your wife might have had.”

The house descended into silence. After a moment Chris took a deep breath and then nodded.

“She and Allison both but they’re in storage. I’ll have to get them out. I’ll bring it to the animal clinic.”

“Thanks,” said Theo then he manfully fled.

* * *

 

An hour later they were all gathered in the animal clinic sans Parrish and Corey who had stayed behind with Melissa.

“So the plan,” said Sheriff Stilinski, “Is to just fight this thing without being whipped or covered in blood until someone manages to stab it with a large syringe of grounded up gold?”

“Yep,” said Liam.

“That’s the dumbest plan I’ve ever heard,” said the Sheriff.

“Yeah well, there’s no guarantee that mountain ash would work to seal it in. Banshees and hellhounds both aren’t affected by it. And the stories say that all doors open for the dullahan. That could refer to mountain ash as well,” said Liam. “As dumb as it is, it’s kinda our best shot.”

The Sheriff rubbed his forehead. “Okay so what do we do?”

“Melissa is going to call in sick,” said Chris. “She’ll come off shift early and go home. Their house is lined with mountain ash so if it does work, she’ll be protected, with the added bonus that we can fight this where no one will see us.”

“But we can’t see it either, right?” said the Sheriff.

“We can if we have gold that got turned to obsidian by the dullahan,” said Theo.

“But we only have two pieces,” said Liam.

Theo slammed the ring onto the table smashing it into several pieces.

Liam choked in horror.

“Not anymore,” he said. He held out the pieces to Argent, the Sheriff, and pocketed two, one for Parish, the other for himself. The remaining piece he held out to Liam. Liam took it carefully and then punched Theo in the face.

Theo was knocked down, nose broken and then Liam said politely to the rest of them, “Please take care of the pieces of my step-great grandfather's ring.”

The rest of them made ‘ahh’ faces of comprehension and nodded solemnly.

Theo stood up, grabbing the table for support on his way up. He held his nose as it healed and then said, “Sheriff do you want this piece for Parish or shall I give it to him?”

“I’ll take it,” said the Sheriff.

“Let’s get to Scott’s house,” said Argent. “And plan the layout.”

“Yeah,” said Liam. He punched Theo again on his way out.

* * *

 

Theo slid into the front seat of Liam’s car.

“I feel like this relationship is getting abusive,” he said.

“What are you doing here?” said Liam.

“I didn’t feel like sacrificing my truck again,” said Theo, blandly.

“I told you to take care of the ring,” said Liam.

“Well either you want the ring or you want your friends,” said Theo flatly.

Liam’s grip tightened on the steering wheel and it creaked. He let go of the wheel and then after a moment rested his head on it.

“I’m sorry I hit you the second time,” he said after a moment, head still resting on the wheel.

“I’m sorry I didn’t give you any warning about breaking the ring,” Theo admitted after a moment.

“Okay. Now lets just go stop this thing,” said Liam.

* * *

 

When they arrived at Scott’s house, Parrish and Corey were already there along with Ms. McCall.

“Do you have it?” asked Corey.

Liam held up the large metal syringe filled with the grounded gold.

“Mason you and Melissa stay inside the house,” Argent said, “And then set the barriers.”

“Okay,” said Mason. He held Melissa’s arm and they both hurried up into the house and began tossing mountain ash lines in front of the doorways.

“Where should the rest of us go?” asked Parrish. He was out of uniform, a practice he’d begun whenever he thought he might have to go full hellhound since the number of uniforms he was requisitioning was beginning to raise eyebrows.

Argent swept his eyes over the yard and began to arrange the rest of them strategically.

Corey ended up on top the roof, to be able to warn the rest of them. Liam was at the foot of house, directly beneath Corey, holding the syringe and out of sight of the most typical entrance-ways to the backyard.

Theo was on the porch and Chris Argent was crouched behind his van along with the Sheriff. Parrish was on the last side of the house that was unguarded. Basically they needed to wait on Corey in order to tell where they needed to go.

* * *

 

Three hours later Liam was glad he had a healing factor because his legs would have been cramping by now.

“I’m too old for this,” said the Sheriff.

“Didn’t you take on three guys in Eichen?” said Theo.

Parrish snorted. “Pretty well too.”

“I’m still too old for this.”

“WIth all due respect sir,” said Parrish, “ I’ll believe that when I’m dead.”

“You’re a hellhound,” said Sheriff Stilinski. “You’re kinda hard to kill.”

“You just made my point,” said Parrish and Argent chuckled.

Liam grinned at the lighthearted banter but at the same time he was itching for it to be over.

“Heads up,” said Corey. “High speed horse and wagon heading our way.”

The cheery air instantly disappeared as everyone became focused. Inside he could hear Melissa’s and Mason’s heartbeats kick up a notch. Theo’s contrarily slowed, and Parrish’s remained the same but his breathing came deeper and slower.

“She’s gonna come through the front,” said Corey. “Theo you’re up.”

“On it,” said Theo. Liam couldn't see what happened next but there was a cry, and then the Dullahan was curving around the house, heading into the backyard.

Theo was coming up after her. Liam leapt forward towards the dullahan. He probably would have been whipped if Argent hadn’t shot at her.

The bullets didn't hurt her but they did cause her arm to jerk and the whip missed Liam by centimeters. Then Theo was charging up onto the wagon and he tackled the dullahan from behind.

They hit the ground together and Theo rolled away before the whip came crashing onto him. Liam dived at her again, only to be forced to hit the ground as the whip cracked over his head. More bullets came from Argent and the Sheriff and then Parrish was there, claws out, eyes red before slashing at the Dullahan. She reared back from him, sliding out of his way with a practiced ease and a far from human grace. Parrish was backing her up into a corner until her horse came around and kicked him back. Liam winced, hearing bones break as Parrish flew across the backyard.

“Watch out for the horse,” Mason called from inside.

“A little late!” Theo growled.

He met Liam’s eyes and the two of them charged her together, Theo being the distraction, doing his best to open a path for Liam. Argent joined him and together they managed to give him the smallest of openings. Liam took it.

He slipped between the whip, bullets and hooves and managed to come right up to the Dullahan’s side. He plunged the syringe into her side but before he could inject the gold, the dullahan pushed her head at him and it’s mouth snapped close on his hand.

“Ahh!” Liam cried out as bones broke. He lost his grip on the syringe and fell back fighting to get the head off his hand.

The dullahan pulled the syringe out of her side and tossed it into the air and snapped her whip at it. The whip connected and both it and the syringe exploded in a shower of sparks.

“Oh shit,” Mason’s voice echoed from somewhere.

The dullahan turned, grabbed a ratty cloth from off her wagon and a handful of skull-candles. The skulls flew, one hitting Theo and setting him alight. Another flew in the direction of the Sheriff and Argent, cutting them off with a  wide swath of fire.

Parrish who had gotten up found himself cut off by the horse, which was suddenly larger than any horse had any right to be and was dripping blood from it’s mouth. It’s teeth was larger and sharper too and it’s eyes wore an alien light. A fae steed. Armour rippled into being over it and it lowered its head and pawed as it face Parrish.

Liam pried the head from off his hand and the dullahan held out her hand and it flew to her. She tucked it into her belt, using it’s long hair and walked purposefully towards the house. Liam shifted until he stood in her way.

“You’re not getting to her,” he said.

The head, hanging from the dullahan’s’ belt smiled widely. The dullahan snapped the cloth menacingly.

“You’re not,” said Liam and dived at her.

The dullahan threw the cloth like a gladiator throwing a net. Liam hit it and kept going, claws ripping it to shreds.

He slammed into the dullahan and the two of them tumbled to the ground. They rolled and came back up to their feet and then the head opened it’s mouth and said, “M-uurph!”

Well Liam assumed that it was trying to say Melissa's name. He had however prevented it from saying to by jamming his hand into its mouth.

His other hand was fending of the dullahan's arms from choking him to death.

“You’re not killing her for power,” Liam said. “I won’t let you!”

“Ahh yurhh offerinngh?” the head said around his arm.

“What?” said Laim.

The head rolled it’s eyes at him and then the arms stopped trying to kill him. Liam carefully removed his arm from its mouth after staring at it in suspicion.

“Are you offering to take her place?” the head said sweetly.

“I’m not letting you kill me either,” said Laim. “I’m not letting you kill anyone else.”

“I don’t need your death little wolf,” she said, “I just need your power. WIll you give me your power little wolf?”

“She’s a fae Liam!” called Mason from inside. “Making a bargain is a bad idea.”

“But only if you word it wrong right?” said Liam.

“Still a very bad idea,” called Corey from the roof.

“My power for Melissa McCall’s, mother of Scott McCall, life and you will not try to take her life after I give you my power or during the process of taking my power.”

“Liam don’t!” called Melissa. “You could die! If she takes your power, shes taking away your ability to be a werewolf! But a werewolf is what you are now. It’s a trap!” But she spoke to late.

“Bargain accepted,” the Dullahan said, then she stabbed her nails into Liam.

* * *

 

Liam felt like his life was being drained out of him. He felt like he was high, mind floating. He felt like he was on fire, every cell screaming in protest as the wolf was ripped out of him. He felt like he was walking on clouds, cold but clean. He felt like he was being scraped out from the inside.

Images flashed in his mind. Life, before he was a werewolf, before his friends died, before he was a monster, before he lived in fear of his parents hating him, of rejecting him. Before he lived in fear of having to tell them that their worst fears for him had come true.

If the dullahan took his power, he would no longer be a werewolf, he would no longer be a monster, no longer have to hide from them. He’d be human, he’d be able to control his anger, he’d no longer have to fear that one day his mother would get a call saying that she had lost him too. There’d be no more late nights sneaking out, no parents worrying whenever he lied to them and they knew it but didn’t know how to call him out because he’d become so proficient at lying. But most of all, he wouldn’t have to live with the fear that one day he’d lose control and kill them both.

 

“What three things cannot long be hidden?” The words were soft and came through charred lips, barely above a whisper and meant for his ears alone.

“The sun,” Liam answered through the haze of pain and numbness, “The moon.” A breath through agony, an exhale through bliss. “The truth.”

 

The truth.

 

_“Malia’s my enforcer, you too actually,” Scott’s voice echoed through his mind._

_“What’s an enforcer?” His own voice echoing._

_“They’re the ones who’ll fight tooth and nail against impossible odds, physically speaking. They’re they ones who’ll shove the innocent behind them, they’re the ones who run into a physical  fight, and they’re the ones you ask to go into a fight. They’re the ones you ask to take the injuries, you can’t afford on anyone else. They’re the one’s who you ask to do the dark things, to take the blackness under their skin so that it doesn’t hurt the rest of the pack.”_

 

“The truth,” Liam breathed again.

The truth.

The truth was, he could never run from this fight. The truth was, he could never leave innocents in danger. The truth was, he could never stand behind and let others fight for him. The truth was, that he wanted  to protect, needed to protect. The truth was that he was still going to be going out late at night because he was part of this pack, he was their friend. The truth was, he didn’t want to be helpless, didn’t want to be unable to fight the way he could now, to protect the people he had to. The truth was that he was the beta of a true alpha and he was also his enforcer. The truth was that he was one of the people who took the blackness under their skins for not just the pack but for their city. The truth was that he wasn’t a monster, he was a werewolf and he wanted to remain a werewolf.

* * *

 

Inhalation was bliss, the exhale was agony, pain like he’d never felt before. His forearm tingled where Scott had bit into him, and then fire raged through him, a warm rush of power, and a screaming wall of flame. His eyes which had returned to their normal blue-gray lit up into the golden hue of a beta.

He took hold of the dullahan’s arms and ripped them out of him. The head blinked at him as the dullahan staggered back.

“You got my power,” said Liam steadily.

“But…” the creature protested clearly surprised. “How?”

“Does it matter?” he said. “The bargain is fulfilled. Now go. Leave Beacon Hills alone. You don’t need power to survive, only to get stronger so if I hear that you've killed anyone else I will find you. And I can. You have my power in you now and I know it’s a lot more than you bargained for. I can see it.”

And it was true. The dullahan's skin carried a lighter tinge under it now, like something was glowing beneath it.

“You haven’t be able to...metabolize all of it, so I’ll know where you are. You kill one more person, call one more name and there will be nowhere you can run that I can’t find you. And then, I won’t show you any mercy. So get out. Get out now!” He roared.

The dullahan turned to where her horse was lying down, a burnt husk, Parrish standing over it, and then to where Argent and Stilinski were holding their guns trained on her and then turned and walked away.

A few steps down the road she seemed to shiver and disappear and so did the wagon and the body of her steed.

Liam let out a shaky breath and sat abruptly on the ground.

* * *

 

He was pretty sure he lost some time because when he was coherent again, Mason was kneeling in front of him while Corey held him from tipping over. He could see Parrish carrying Theo onto the back porch where Melissa waited with a syringe of her nine herbs concoction.

“Are you alright?” Mason asked.

“I think so,” Liam managed after a few tries.

“It looked like she turned you back to human,” said Mason. “Your eyes went out,your cuts weren’t healing. I thought she killed you.”

“Still here,” Liam told him, grinning a little.

Mason let out a breath and pulled him tightly into a hug. “Don’t do that to me again!”

“I’m not planning on it,” Liam mumbled into his shoulder.

“Argh!” Theo yelled from where he was convulsing on the porch as he healed.

“I think she likes to stab people with that too much,” Corey said.

Liam laughed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tell me what you all think and stay tuned for the final chapter!!
> 
> Have a nice day/night!!


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay so I hope you all enjoyed this ride!!! This is actually the first multi-chapter fic I have ever finished!!! I do hope to write more in this 'verse though! Thanks to all those who commented, read and gave kudos!!!

“You know,” said Theo, from where he was lying on the floor as they tried to catch the two hours of sleep they could get before they both had to be up, “If you were anyone else, you should have reverted to human.”

“What do you mean?” asked Liam.

“I mean, that despite what everyone thinks, the dullahan had pretty much absorbed all of your power. What was left, wouldn’t have been enough for you to ever shift.

“What? But then how…?”

“You’re the beta of a true alpha Liam. And where does the power of a true alpha come from?”

“From inside,” said Liam slowly.

“Exactly. Anyone else, the dullahan would have been able to absorb their power but she couldn’t absorb all of yours. You already had more than she bargained for, you’re a hell a lot more powerful than the average beta but you have a link to Scott. He turned you. His power still runs through you.” Theo was silent for a moment while Liam was trying to take this in.

“But if you hadn't opened the link,” he continued softly, “If you hadn't accepted it. It wouldn’t have worked.”

“You mean, I’d be human?” asked Liam.

“I think so,” said Theo.

“Did you know?” Liam asked, “When you said that, did you know what I’d choose?”

There was silence in the dark room and then Theo said, “No. But whatever you’d choose it’d be what you really want. It’d be the truth.”

Liam bit his lip and closed his eyes for a moment.

“Thank you,” he said. “Thank you for reminding me.”

Theo scoffed softly. “I just gave you a nudge. You reminded yourself. Now let me go to sleep.”

“As I recall, you started talking first.”

“Go to sleep Liam.”

* * *

 

A few nights later the dullahan was crossing a stream in the forests that joined those in Beacon HIlls. She was still on foot not having bound another faery steed to her will but she didn’t think anything of crossing the water. She should have.

Blue sparkles rippled through the water rising up from the stream bed and before the dullahan knew what was happening, the water was surging around her and then something hit her. She went down into the water struggling with the thing atop her but water was not her habitat, not like the thing that was currently tearing into her with claws and teeth.

The faerie tried to escape, slip from the unseen world into the normal but her opponent was fae born too and all that was accomplished was the Dullahan’s blood spilling into the water of the stream as she was laid open again and again until all that was left of her was ribbons.

A few moments a lovely young woman, with eerie, blue eyes and sharp claws stepped from the water. She dug into her pale, grey skin and tore it from her body revealing brown human skin underneath. The claw disappeared, the sparkling eyes dampened and she was just like any other human woman.

“You should have remembered,” Joanne McLaughlin said softly to the dead dullahan, “The Irish myths rarely have happy endings.”

* * *

 

Liam’s head reared up. He'd been doing his homework, listening to music while he did so when something seemed to fade, a tie he had to someone outside. He blinked and then realised that it was the power that was inside the dullahan. It was gone. It was gone and she was dead.

He blinked and then looked around his room. Theo wasn’t there.

* * *

 

“Are you going to hurt me?” McLaughlin asked the dark-haired Chimera that was leaned up against her gate, barring her way.

“I warned the other one,” said Theo, smiling wickedly, “But I didn’t warn you,” he said. “So you get a free pass this time.”

“And next time?” said McLaughlin.

Theo smirked at her. “You wouldn’t want there to be a next time.”

“Oh really?” Mclaughlin raised an eyebrow, a smile playing around her lips.

Theo laughed softly. “You live in Beacon Hills. You’re in the territory of Scott McCall and his pack. You really want to test that? I don’t think so. Have a good night.” He rocked off the gate, pulling it open for her and closed it behind her when she walked through.

* * *

 

He hadn’t gone far down the street when he stopped on the sidewalk. “You know you should come out and say it. Keeping all that rage repressed can’t be good for you.”

Liam stalked from the darkness and stood in front of him shaking with rage.

“You did it on purpose!” he growled.

“Did what?” asked Theo but he was smirking. Liam wanted to punch him in his face.

“You warned Elias but you didn’t warn her. You knew, you knew there was a chance that she’d do it. That’s why you didn’t. You wanted her to kill the Dullahan!”

“Of course I did!” snapped Theo, “And if you had any sense you would have wanted it too!”

“This isn’t how we do things!” yelled Liam, hurt and anger rising up in his chest.

“I didn’t kill it!” Theo told him, “Look,” He ran a hand through his hair, “The dullahan is a faerie horsewoman. They don’t like being beaten at their own games. And you did beat it. Did you really think it was going to end so easily? I know you would have found her and when she was far away enough she would have made sure you had reason to find her. She would have ,left a trail of bodies for you to follow until you caught her. Do you really want that? Huh? Can your precious little conscience take that? I’m trying to help you! Sometimes the nice solutions don’t work! The world isn’t like that no matter how much you and Scott try to make it so! Do you know why? Because there are too few people like the both of you and you can't be everywhere. Some people you can't lock up, some things that are too dangerous to let roam free. Believe it or not, there are things out there that will flirt with the threat of your pack just cause it’s fun.”

“But we’re not like this!” said Liam.

“Don’t be naive!” said Theo sounded disgusted. “And don’t get all hypocritical with me. The only reason Scott’s hands aren't blood-covered is because he got everyone else to do it for him. His superpower is scheming. I just took a page out of his book.”

Liam clenched his fist until blood leaked from between his fingers but Theo was standing there with a smirk on his face like he knew Liam was going to punch him and he didn’t care.

Liam turned and stalked away. When he was far away enough he broke into a run until he was alone and his head was a little clearer.

* * *

 

“Scott,” he said when his alpha picked up.

“Hey Liam,” Scott’s voice was gentle. “Theo said you’d call.”

Liam was stumped. “What? He called you?”

“Texted, “ said Scott. “What happened?”

Liam sighed and poured out the whole story. Scott was silent for a moment and then he said, “Do you remember what I told you about enforcers?”

He did. The words were seared into his mind.

“Yeah?”

“Would you kill someone so I don’t have to? If it were completely and totally necessary?”

Liam choked at the question. “What the hell?”

“Just answer,” Scott’s voice was still so very gentle.

Liam sat in silence for a few moments contemplating and then he said, “I would.” His voice was shaking.

_They’re the ones who take the blackness under their skin._

“And what is Theo to you?”

“My enforcer.”

“I don’t condone it,” said Scott, “I understand how you feel but he has a point that the Dullahan could have gone around killing as much people as she could before you got to her. A while ago I learned about risk benefit-ratio. The risk this time was too much for her to go free. Peter we could keep an eye on, Deucalion had a history of a peace loving man behind the pain. The dullahan, she’s been killing for years. She was a law unto herself. I don’t think we could have stopped her from killing short of killing her. As much as I hate to admit it, Theo did the best he could and he did it in a way to keep all your hands clean.”

“So I should forgive him?”

“I think you should talk to him,” said Scott. “Clear up what’s acceptable and what’s not.”

Liam sighed. “Are you mad?”

Scott laughed softly. “No. In this world it’s not easy to keep your hands clean. Sometimes, sometimes you can’t. Sometimes the best you can do is ensure that the blood ends up on hands of people it won’t hurt too much.”

“That’s morbid,” said Liam.

“Yeah,” Scott admits with a huff of laughter. “Are you okay?”

Liam took a deep breath and took inspection. “Yeah,” he said after a moment, feeling a little surprised. “Yeah I am.”

“Good,” said Scott. “Talk to you later!”

“Yeah,” said Liam smiling.

* * *

 

 

Theo was lying in his truck. Liam opened the truck door and tossed the pillow from his bed,that Theo had claimed as his own, at him.

“What the!” said Theo sitting up.

“Scott said we should talk,” Liam announced.

“And of course you do what he says,” Theo says.

“Not all the time,” Liam said cheerfully. “You’re still here aren’t you?”

“He does have a point,” Theo says. “Alright what?”

“I don’t like what you did but I get it,” Liam said bluntly. “But we can’t keep doing that, okay?”

“It wasn’t going to be my default way of doing things,” Theo grumbled.

“Good,” said Liam.

“But if there isn’t any other way…” Theo started.

“We have to figure out something else,” Liam interrupted.

“You have any ideas?” Theo asked sarcastically.

“Eichen,” said Liam.

“The Eichen we both broke into?” Theo said dryly.

Liam sighed. “Yes that Eichen. We could maybe try to build a rapport with the place?”

“That’s probably not going to work,” said Theo.

“We won’t know until we try,” said Liam.

“And if that doesn't work?” Theo asked. “Are you going to lock me into Eichen the next time I save you?”

Liam sighed. “How about we take it one case at at a time?” He swallowed. “I know, I know this world isn’t easy okay. It’s just… I wish we didn’t have to be…”

“Killers?” Theo finished.

“Yeah,” said Liam shoulders slumping.

“Sometimes you don’t have a choice,” Theo told him, almost gentle. “Cops shoot people too when they really have to.”

“I know,” said Liam. “Let’s just take it slowly okay and not pull the trigger too fast.”

Theo smirked at him. “When have I never thought things through Liam?”

Liam snorted. “Just drive us home.”

* * *

 

“Guys,” said Mason as they were climbing into Theo's truck that evening. “Do you realize what we did?”

“Uh what?” Asked Liam.

“We took on a major trouble and resolved it without Scott and the others.”

“This isn't our first major trouble,” said Liam.

“Yeah there was that pack who tried to take over.” Corey said.

“They lasted all of three hours,” said Mason. “And Theo beat the shit out of most of them.”

Theo extended his fist for an air bump and Mason returned it. “This was our first major trouble and we did well!”

“It was a mess actually,” said Theo.

“Definitely a mess,” said Liam.

“But it worked out! We're awesome. But it makes sense anyway because we have the four main people.”

“Uh what?” Liam.

“Well you're Scott,” said Mason and Liam burst into startled laughter, “I'm Stiles obviously.”

“I don't think that's something to strive for,” interjected Theo.

“Corey is Lydia,” Mason continued undaunted.

Theo bursts into laughter while Corey blinks and goes ,”Uh how?”

“She hears things no one else hears. You see things no one else sees,”

Theo laughs harder and Liam says, “I don't think that's how it works.”

“You're missing the point here,” said Mason.

“Does that mean Theo is Malia?” asked Corey.

“You know as impressive as she is I'd rather not,” Theo said.

“Why is everybody missing the point?” said Mason.

“What is the point?” said Liam.

“We did it by ourselves, with the ‘rents,”

“You said that already.”

“I just...we're going to be okay,” said Mason.

Liam looked at him, read the sincerity and relief and grinned at his best friend. “Yeah we are.”

“Famous last words!” Theo announced and then they were all laughing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As per usual I love feedback!! Thanks again guys for sticking with this!!

**Author's Note:**

> Comment and tell me what you all think!
> 
> Stayin' Alive by the Bee Gees is a song you can sing to get the correct number of compressions in the right period of time when doing CPR. Liam is singing it to help him keep up the 100 chest compression per minute that is the optimal rate for CPR as the song has a tempo of 103 beats per min. 
> 
> Have a nice day/night.


End file.
